1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing a hydroxyphenyl aliphatic acid derivative having the formula ##STR4## wherein R.sub.1 represents hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a lower alkoxy group, hydroxy group or a lower alkylcarbonyl group; R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are the same or different and respectively represent hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group; and m is 1 or 2; l is 0, 1 or 2; n is 0, 1 or 2; by reacting a halophenyl aliphatic acid derivative having the formula ##STR5## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, m, l and n are defined above and R.sub.4 represents hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon moiety; and X represents a halogen atom, with a base and a catalyst used for the process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The hydroxyphenyl aliphatic acid derivatives especially acetic acid derivatives are known to be effective as intermediates for cholekinetics and agricultural chemicals.
Certain processes for producing hydroxyphenyl aliphatic acid derivatives have been known as follows:
a process for producing 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid by converting 2-methoxyacetophenone into 2-methoxyphenylacetic acid and treating the product with hydrobromic acid as described in J. Org. Chem. 11 (1946) p. 798;
a process for producing hydroxyphenylacetic acid by reducing nitrophenylacetic acid and diazotating and hydrolyzing the resulting aminophenylacetic acid, as described in J. Chem. Soc. (London) 1948, p. 150;
a process for producing hydroxyphenylacetic acid by hydrolyzing 2-bromophenylacetic acid in an aqueous solution of morpholine in the presence of bis(ethylenediamine) copper (II) salt, as described in J.O.C. (USSR) 1971, p. 2666-2668; and
a process for producing 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid by reacting a halophenylacetic acid such as 2-chlorophenylacetic acid with an alkali metal hydroxide in the presence of a metallic copper or a copper salt, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4870/1972.
Among the known processes, the process of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4870/1972 is superior to others in view of high yield of 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. In the specification, the yield of 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid is in a range of 82 to 95%. However, the reaction is performed at high temperature such as 220.degree. to 250.degree. C. under high temperature such as 20 to 60 atom. Therefore, this process is not advantageous as the industrial process.